


I know you well, my friend

by solenskiner



Category: Vikings (TV)
Genre: Emotional, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff and Smut, Humor, M/M, Power Bottom Athelstan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-19
Updated: 2017-07-19
Packaged: 2018-12-04 04:08:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11547183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solenskiner/pseuds/solenskiner
Summary: extended scene from Season 3, Ep. 1.Ragnar invites Athelstan to share his bed. But this time, it's just the two of them.





	1. extended scene

**Author's Note:**

> A big thank you to Lambertgirl9 and Mag. for sending me the links!  
> I will post them below, it might help to watch the scene before reading this.  
> I use some lines directly, but I have no subtitles, so they might not be 100% correct, please let me know in a comment if I wrote it wrong, so I can change that.  
> The characters and some lines are from the show "Vikings". I just own my imagination, sadly nothing else.  
> No money made with this. Your great and nice responses are enough :)

Watch the extended scene here on [Tumblr](http://vikingshistory.tumblr.com/post/111618050120/voices-in-the-breezes-3x01-ragnarathelstan) or [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/Vikings.Athelstan/videos/550751511695218/).

***

It's late evening and the hall is filled with people eating, feasting and laughing.

Still, Athelstan stays at the door and looks out to the sea. His mind is filled with too many emotions and thoughts and the closeness inside has become too overwhelming. He can feel another presence beside him before he sees the other one.

Ragnar has kept an eye on his favorite little priest. When the younger man continued to stay at the door and stare blankly outside, the King knew he should do something. So he stands and crosses the small distance. Aslaug doesn't even look at him when he departures, just stares angrily at the table. _That_ is a problem for later, Ragnar thinks.

Athelstan sees Ragnar step beside him and together they look out to the sea for a moment. Water is truly fascinating. So calm and strong at the same time, constantly crashing against the sand. Reaching over the horizon. Sometimes Athlestan envies the sea for it' steadiness when he himself feels conflicted, like something pulls him in different directions, trying to tear him apart. 

Ragnar doesn't like the look that Athelstan has on his face. It's one he has seen way too often lately. It's a look that puts him on the edge. He doesn't like it seeing on his beloved friend. He needs something to pull the other out of his deep space inside his mind.

"If Lagertha and I would invite you to share our bed, today. Would you still refuse us, as you once did?" Ragnar gives the other man a smirk. He doesn't know where _that_ question came from, it just formed and passed his mouth, without him considering it. But he finds, that he _really_ wants to know the answer.

Athelstan looks down and snorts, but gives the other a small smile. How easy things have been in a way back then. He never questioned his faith back then. Or had this burning desire for this beautiful man beside him. Sometimes he wishes he could go back to these times.

Ragnar is relieved when Athelstan gives him a smile, but way too soon the other gets this lost look again. _That just won't do._ So he does, what he always does when he wants something. He reaches out and takes the younger man's hand in his. Athelstan lets him, so Ragnar counts that as a win.

Ragnar caresses the scar gently. He feels a stabbing pain at seeing it. It reminds Ragnar of his failure to keep his little priest safe.

"I know you well, my friend. And I know what tortures you." He encloses Athelstan's hand and holds it with care. He gives the other a soft, but yet understanding look. Ragnar wants Athelstan to know that will always be there for him.

Athelstan is conflicted at the words and looks down at his hands, Ragnar has caressed so gently a moment ago. His heart is filled with love and gratefulness and pain at the same time.

Ragnar speaks again and the shorter man is surprised when the Viking says he is in the same position. Neither can hide from God and the gods. He risks a glance at the tall blond, trying to see if he speaks the truth. Athelstan relaxes a little bit when he sees only honesty shining in the other's eyes. They talk about Wessex and it puts a smile on Athelstan's face. Ragnar cherishes in it and smiles too.

"Wherever you go, I will follow", he says and he can see the surprise on the younger's face. He can feel Athelstan searching gaze and tries to convey his feelings strongly. Ragnar is absolutely honest. Yes, this level of honesty surprises even him. But it's completely true. He will always stay at Athelstan's side. He once left him alone and see what happened. Ragnar won't make this mistake ever again.

That sentence makes Athelstan's emotion rage again and he tries hard to control them. Why does Ragnar always say these things? It's killing him. He is glad when the Viking says they should go back inside. Athelstan really doesn't know how he is supposed to deal with all this.

Athelstan goes before him and Ragnar's brain management control has switched off again because in one moment he is behind the other and in the next, he is groping _the_ behind of the other man.

Athelstan goes deadly still. _Is that? It can't be..._  

" _What_ are you doing?"

  _Well,_ thinks Ragnar, but says with mischief and a smirk: "We are following each other."

Athelstan gives him a look and shakes his hand. _Oh, yes. Maybe he should take his hand of the other's butt._ Ragnar does so reluctantly. It's a nice butt, after all.

***

Later that night Athelstan lies in bed and stares at the ceiling. A hollow feeling of loneliness is settling in his chest. As it does almost every night.

There is a faintly knock on the door and then it opens and his favorite Viking is sticking his head inside the room.

"Athelstan? Athelstan, are you awake?"

He sighs and sits up. "Yes, come inside before all the warmth is outside."

Ragnar gives him a loopy smile and closes the door and then comes to sit on his bed. Athelstan has meanwhile lit a few candles.

It's not the first time this happened. Since Athelstan has returned from Wessex Ragnar would sneak away from his halls and come to the hut in the middle of the night.

They talk about their next raid, or about religion, the stars, pretty much about everything that comes to mind.

Athelstan has soon learned that Ragnar is a man filled with endless curiosity. It makes him an excellent conversational partner. 

They always fall asleep somewhere during their discussion, but when Athelstan wakes in the morning, Ragnar is gone.

Still, he has seen the looks Aslaug has been throwing at him. It would be unwise to continue this.

Ragnar shifts closer and lies down beside his little priest. He too knows that Aslaug is suspecting where he spends the nights. But Ragnar can't find it in him to stay away. His marriage has become loveless and cold. While when he stays here, he feels happy and warm.

Athelstan is a little bit startled when the other lies down next to him straight away. Normally they talk sitting and end up lying and entangled with each other somewhere during the night. They never started like this. But Athelstan senses that this night is different than those before.

Ragnar closes his arms around the shorter man and rubs his arm in a soothing motion. Eventually, all that happened has led them here. Ragnar may seem distant and closed off to other's, but once somebody earned his respect and trust, Ragnar is loyal to a fault.

But in the case of Athelstan, he holds him dear, more than his other friends. He has desired this little monk from the beginning, but he took no joy in sex if the other person wasn't willing. The Athelstan back then has been scared and vulnerable and so Ragnar hadn't pressured him when the priest said no to him and Lagertha.

But now. Now he became a strong willed man, with a kindness that surpassed everybody's else. Ragnar always thought Athelstan to be good looking, but now he knows the other's soul, with all its flaws, and he is for Ragnar the most stunning beautiful man ever.

Ragnar knows well enough what his kinship thinks about sex between man. But it would never be just sex with Athelstan. He loves him dearly and he doesn't see any fault in loving somebody, woman or man. And besides, he finds that he cares very little about what other's say. They can go to Hel.

Athelstan tries to resist the touch Ragnar gives so freely and lovingly, but he asks himself why he should. He tried to pray his desire away, then he buried it deep, then he tried to ignore it even existed. In the end, he is tired of the games.

_Can't he give in just a little bit? Just for tonight?_

 Ragnar looks up and his gaze meets Athelstan. They look at each other for some time, Ragnar still rubbing the other's arm.

The air feels charged, they both can feel it. They waited and wanted for so long, always fearing to break what they have. But here in the twilight of the candles, it's plain as day what they both desire.

Ragnar shifts and caresses the younger's face with his hand, then travels down to the neck and finally traces Athelstan's plush lips.

They lean in at the same time, meeting in a passionate kiss. When they break apart, both men are out of breath.

"Do you have any idea how long..."

"Yes. Me too."

"Where you go I follow, eh?"

A chuckle. "Yes my dear. I will follow you everywhere. Even though I would prefer to stay in bed, right here with you."

A laugh. "Good, I do too."

They kiss and laugh at the same time, playfully shoving each other.

In the end, Ragnar comes out on top of Athelstan and leans down slowly, placing a gentle kiss on the other's lips.

It's a promise for the night, but also for all that is to come.

Athelstan murmurs against his mouth: "Wherever you go, I will follow" and these are the most beautiful words Ragnar has ever heard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAH. Please don't kill me. I am sorry! I know I promised sex and smut in this one and I had it planned, I swear. But then I began to write this and it turned out way too deep and philosophical and I thought that smut just doesn't fit.  
> So, I will upload a second Chapter with plain smut, see it as a "I am sorry" gift. But I won't promise it will be any good :')  
> Please leave kudos and comments and let me know what you think about it.


	2. Smut-I tried

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's an alternative ending to the extended scene. In this scenario, Ragnar and Athelstan are already in a "relationship".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, smut. Not much plot. I don't know what this is supposed to be.  
> Sorry for any mistakes. It's my first time writing something "explicit". I hope it won't suck.  
> Enjoy!

Athelstan leads the way back inside when he suddenly feels a big hand groping and pinching his butt lightly.

He gives Ragnar his best  _I am so done with your shit_ look. But the other just grins challengingly at him.

"What are you doing?"

"We are following each other" His gaze is filled with mirth and he gives Athelstan a wink.

_Well, two can play this game._

He leads them outside of the hall, fiercely ignoring the glare from Alaug, and continues until they are in an empty guest room.

Athelstan may be sleeping with a married man, a sin he has come to deal with, but doing the act in their bed seems cruel and immoral.

When Ragnar passes the door, Athelstan pushes him against it, which earns him a surprised _uuf_ from the Viking.

He presses against the strong body and tugs at Ragnar's hair, so the other leans down. Sometimes it annoys him that he can't kiss Ragnar otherwise because that man is just so damn tall. But he likes it when the other brings him closer, hands roaming his face and finally settle on his hips.

Athelstan normally likes Ragnar's eagerness and demonstrating his strength. But he still wants his payback.

So he breaks free and pulls and shoves the Viking towards the bed, where he falls on it when his knees hit the frame.

Ragnar looks too stunned to say anything and Athelstan uses the opportunity to lean down for another kiss.

"You will follow my lead?" He asks and almost winces by the breathless and husky quality his voice has.

Ragnar swallows hard, his gaze is liquid fire, burning them both with desire.

"Yes" he says and Athelstan has to breath in deeply to stay in control.

He steps away and looks at the end of the bed to Ragnar lying there. God, this man looks like one of this Greek statues. Absolutely _breath taking._

"Undress" he orders and Ragnar's eyes widen for a moment, then he gives him a seductive grin and begins to fumble with his tunic. In one swift motion, he gets rid of the upper part. Then he slowly and teasingly undoes his belt and pushes his boot away. They drop with a loud noise to the floor.

Athelstan can feel his blood spreading in his checks (and speeding down _there)_. He is way more wrecked already than he would like to admit.

 _Finally,_ Ragnar pushes his pants down and also lets them fall to the floor. Then he lies back again, his hand comfortably under his head, spreading his legs a little and gives Athelstan a challenging look. 

A few years back, no a few months, he wouldn't have had the nerves to do this. He still feels a little bit embarrassed about the brash way Ragnar goes on about sex, but he has come a far way himself from the stuttering, blushing monk.

He loosens his tunic slowly and locks his gaze with Ragnar. The other looks at him like he could devour him wholly any moment now. But he stays put. Sometimes it appears that Ragnar knows what Athelstan wants before he does himself.

Slowly he puts it over his head and lets it fall. He resists the urge to look at the floor and hurry as fast as he can to the bed. Of course they have undressed before, but it has never felt like this.

He can feel Ragnar's burning gaze when he finally drops his pants and steps out of them. Then he gets rid of his shoes and takes a few steps towards the bed.

Athelstan thinks he is red as a tomato, at least his face feels like it. But he will put this through.

He lowers himself to his knees and brings himself to crawl over the other instead of crawling under the bed and hide there forever.

When they are face to face again Ragnar gives him a small smile, without a trace of mockery, and Athelstan relaxes a little.

They kiss and it takes some time to get used to the new position. Normally he is lying there and Ragnar is on top of him. But today Ragnar is following like he promised and Athelstan calls the shots.

Their bodies press and rub against each other and Athelstan lets out a small moan against Ragnar's mouth. The other just hums in contentment.

They shift and Ragnar is finally touching him, roaming his strong callused hands over his chest, down over his thighs and his knuckles graze against Athelstan's hard-on. But the touch is fleeting and teasing and is gone just as soon.

Athelstan growls lightly. So that's how it is if he lets Ragnar set the course. He will take the control back.

He pushes the larger man back down (probably Ragnar lets him, but it still excites him)

They kiss passionately again and now Athelstan lets his hands wander. But he isn't such a tease like the other man and encloses Ragnar's dick in his hand and sets a slow rhythm. The Viking moans against him and he can feel it vibrate in his chest.

Athelstan lets go and sits back on the large chest, feeling the other man's hardness press against his ass cheeks.

Ragnar does the mind reading thing again because in the next moment a small jar with oil is pressed in his hand. Athelstan swallows, he has never done this part to himself, not even when he has been pleasuring himself.

Normally it was something Ragnar did quietly and quickly while Athelstan hides under a pillow.

Ragnar raised an eyebrow at him. His gaze saying _So, get on with it._

How can that man still look so composed and smug?

Athelstan feels another blush heating his cheeks, but nods determined.

Preparing himself feels weird and somehow wrong in this angle, but Ragnar's heated gaze makes it worth it.

The blond Viking keeps caressing his thighs and murmurs from time "Yes, that is it. Beautiful. You do so well."

Athelstan wants to snort. This is supposed to be pay back! Punishment. Ragnar looks satisfied and content where he lies.

Maybe Athelstan is doing something wrong? Or right? Who knows.

After some time he shifts and feels the responding hardness eager against his behind. He is breathing hard, sweating and painful hard and they are not anywhere near the end. Athelstand already feels like he is burning.

Ragnar raises him a fraction and then _finally finally_ that beautiful hard flesh is inside him, stretching him wonderfully. The right amount of pain and pleasure.

"Athelstan" Ragnar's voice breaks and it sound absolutely wrecked. Athelstan feels pride at knowing that he reduced his strong, fierce Viking to _this._

They move in sync, rising and falling together. The only sound heard is the slapping noise of flesh meeting flesh and their harsh breaths and moans.

The blond man keeps babbling on how beautiful Athelstan is and how good he is for him.

He feels his blush spread to his ears and down his chest. "Ngh. Ragnar. _Shut up._ "

Ragnar laughs against his neck where has been kissing and nipping at his skin. It makes another warmth spread through Athelstan.

 _God_ , how he loves that idiot of a man.

Their movements become more urgent and needy.

Athelstan whimpers and moans loudly (later he will deny _ever_ making these sounds)

Then Ragnar finally reaches for the younger's cock and gives it a few strokes before Athelstan falls apart on top of him.

Streaming cries come from his mouth.

Ragnar bucks a few more times into him before he too comes with a stream of curses.

Athelstan slumps against the other's chest. Both men are out of breath and sweaty, but they enjoy just lying there in bliss.

Ragnar pats the younger's hair and presses him close.

The former priest never took the Viking as the type, but Ragnar _loves_ to cuddle.

A kiss is pressed against his forehead and Athelstan closes his eyes. Enjoying the warmth and the feeling of love that is flowing between them.

"So, if groping you in public lead to this, I think I will do it more often"

Athelstan snorts and swats him playfully on the chest.

 _Maybe, just maybe_ he actually will let Ragnar feel him up in the hall again. Not that the man needs to know that _now._

Right on the edge to sleep Athelstan thinks that "Where you go, I follow" sounds a lot like "I will always be by your side"

Having Ragnar with him for the rest of his life?

Athelstan hums as he settles in the other's arms.

_Doesn't sound so bad._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *throws this into your face and hides away in a troll's cave forever*  
> I swear, for some this might not be smutty enough, but it was by way the most explicit thing I have ever written.  
> Please let us forget I ever wrote and published this.  
> Bye, I outta of here (or this country. Or planet)  
> Having kudos and comments would be nice (even though I will read them from space. Or a cave)


End file.
